Orinda Country Club

Orinda Country Club is a private club set in the rolling hills of Orinda, California, in the East Bay's San Pablo Valley. Its 18-hole championship course, designed by William Watson and opened in 1924, is regarded as one of Northern California's most respected classic-era layouts. Winding through tree-lined fairways across a hillside property shaped by two canyons and Lauterwasser Creek, the course pairs dramatic elevation changes and panoramic views with the strategic, ground-game challenge of a golden-age design.

Quick Facts

Course History

Orinda Country Club was founded in 1924, when a group of East Bay families set out to create a distinguished gathering place in the then-rural hills east of Berkeley and Oakland. They commissioned Scottish-born architect William Watson, one of the most prolific designers of the era, to route a golf course across the dramatic terrain of the San Pablo Valley. Watson, whose portfolio includes The Olympic Club, Berkeley Country Club, and Claremont Country Club, delivered a layout that opened the same year the club was established.

In the decades that followed, tree growth and incremental changes gradually obscured much of Watson's original design intent. In a project completed in 2015 and nicknamed "Project Watson," the club engaged architect Todd Eckenrode of Origins Golf Design to lead a historically informed restoration. The work removed extensive tree cover, rebuilt greens, expanded putting surfaces and short-grass surrounds, and reconstructed the bunkers in the rough-edged style characteristic of 1920s Northern California architecture, returning the course to a look and playing character much closer to Watson's vision.

The Design & Architecture

Watson made ingenious use of the steep, folded topography, clustering holes across three main hillside areas to minimize the walks between green and tee. He set many greens and tees on hilltops and used tee shots, par 3s, and short par 4s to negotiate the abrupt elevation changes, maximizing the naturally golfable ground. The Eckenrode restoration reinforced this classic character with enlarged greens, expansive short-grass surrounds, and firm, fast conditions that reward the running ground game, while the two canyons and Lauterwasser Creek add natural strategic interest.

Playing the Course

At roughly 6,290 yards with a par of 71, Orinda is a course of finesse rather than brute length. A course rating of 71.2 and slope of 133 reflect a genuine test tied to accuracy, angles, and short-game skill rather than raw distance. Tree-lined corridors, sloping fairways, and greens perched on the hillside demand precise positioning off the tee and thoughtful approaches, while the elevation changes make judging distance and stance a constant challenge. Firm, contoured putting surfaces put a premium on approach shots landing below the hole.

Know Before You Go

• Private club: access is generally limited to members and their guests, or by invitation.

• Located at 315 Camino Sobrante, Orinda, CA 94563, in the East Bay hills. Call (925) 254-4313 for club information.

• A walkable, classic-era layout with significant elevation changes; the compact routing keeps green-to-tee transitions short.

• Beyond golf, the club offers a full clubhouse with dining, plus tennis, swimming, and fitness amenities.